Does anyone not follow the 4-year history cycle?

[mo2]

Just wondering what other options there are. I'm having a hard time finding secular resources for history so thought I would start looking outside the classical education box.

[jesiwins]

Well, I have a ker and a preschooler, so no real experience, but I plan to do a 5-6 year cycle with expanded American history and some time devoted to economics, civics, and geography. Mostly we will use a lot of the classical materials.

 

As far as secular resources go I have a few picked out already. I'm not sure about the ages of your children I would be happy to share what I found, again I don't have any experience, just plans.

 

Good luck,

 

Jesi

[Karen sn]

We are doing the chronological story of this earth at least one time - although I think it will take more than 4 years. Then we will focus on American Government. I would like to do another round of world history after that if we have time. We might not - so I am making this round count.

 

I am new to this - SOTW Ancients - but so far it has been easy to secularize. We are still in Egypt. I have explained to dd that those monotheistic historians/archaeologists are limited in their interpretation of polytheistic cultures. For example - I have my dead horse's skull proudly displayed on the top shelf of my book case. I do not worship my horse. I honor, respect, and remember.

 

But if we were buried in rubble and someone analyzed us by what they found - they might say we worshiped the dead because we also have a bob cat and squirrel skull. And my dd has bones from an owl pellet displayed in a beautiful arrangement inside a deep picture frame.

 

We read a book from the library that said a culture worshiped their ancestors because they burried their bones under the homes. I used our personal example and explained why "worship" was the wrong word.

 

I also believe that the god who Jews and Christians worship is real. But I don't celebrate or worship him. I analyze Cain killing Able as a result of the fact that this god was into blood sacrifice and found favor with Cain's dead cow (or whatever dead mammal it was) over Able's painstakingly/carefully/tenderly grown crops. I explained it all to her - how I see it. How Abraham threw out his 1st conceived son and now we have the crap in the middle east. How Abraham was later willing to kill/"sacrifice" his own son. How this god told him to practice genital mutilation. Etc.....

 

I also talk about Jesus (think the whole BC/AD thing). But I love Jesus. So his life is explained with the awe and respect I feel for him.

 

Saying all that to say this: if all you do is use Usborne World History as a spine, and use the library books (Eyewitness Books are AWESOME) as a supplement - and you go through history only one time..... you have given your kids a foundation of understanding their own place in the world. You can explain the historical figures as you interpret them. But I really feel one chronological study is necessary for understanding our place in time and history.

 

NO THEOLOGICAL WAR PLEASE on this, I'm not here to debate which god or goddess (if any) should be followed, worshipped, or discussed. Just explaining what works for us as agnostics in a monotheistic world trying to learn about all the people who lived before us and contributed greatly to the way and why we do things.

[Karen sn]

Well, I have a ker and a preschooler, so no real experience, but I plan to do a 5-6 year cycle with expanded American history and some time devoted to economics, civics, and geography. Mostly we will use a lot of the classical materials.

 

As far as secular resources go I have a few picked out already. I'm not sure about the ages of your children I would be happy to share what I found, again I don't have any experience, just plans.

 

Good luck,

 

Jesi

 

Well share what you have - with links if you can.

Thanks.

[mo2]

Well, I have a ker and a preschooler, so no real experience, but I plan to do a 5-6 year cycle with expanded American history and some time devoted to economics, civics, and geography. Mostly we will use a lot of the classical materials.

 

As far as secular resources go I have a few picked out already. I'm not sure about the ages of your children I would be happy to share what I found, again I don't have any experience, just plans.

 

Good luck,

 

Jesi

 

 

I have a 7yo right now, but please share all your resources if you don't mind. There is a shortage of good secular history materials.

[mo2]

We are doing the chronological story of this earth at least one time - although I think it will take more than 4 years. Then we will focus on American Government. I would like to do another round of world history after that if we have time. We might not - so I am making this round count.

 

I am new to this - SOTW Ancients - but so far it has been easy to secularize. We are still in Egypt. I have explained to dd that those monotheistic historians/archaeologists are limited in their interpretation of polytheistic cultures. For example - I have my dead horse's skull proudly displayed on the top shelf of my book case. I do not worship my horse. I honor, respect, and remember.

 

But if we were buried in rubble and someone analyzed us by what they found - they might say we worshiped the dead because we also have a bob cat and squirrel skull. And my dd has bones from an owl pellet displayed in a beautiful arrangement inside a deep picture frame.

 

We read a book from the library that said a culture worshiped their ancestors because they burried their bones under the homes. I used our personal example and explained why "worship" was the wrong word.

 

I also believe that the god who Jews and Christians worship is real. But I don't celebrate or worship him. I analyze Cain killing Able as a result of the fact that this god was into blood sacrifice and found favor with Cain's dead cow (or whatever dead mammal it was) over Able's painstakingly/carefully/tenderly grown crops. I explained it all to her - how I see it. How Abraham threw out his 1st conceived son and now we have the crap in the middle east. How Abraham was later willing to kill/"sacrifice" his own son. How this god told him to practice genital mutilation. Etc.....

 

I also talk about Jesus (think the whole BC/AD thing). But I love Jesus. So his life is explained with the awe and respect I feel for him.

 

Saying all that to say this: if all you do is use Usborne World History as a spine, and use the library books (Eyewitness Books are AWESOME) as a supplement - and you go through history only one time..... you have given your kids a foundation of understanding their own place in the world. You can explain the historical figures as you interpret them. But I really feel one chronological study is necessary for understanding our place in time and history.

 

NO THEOLOGICAL WAR PLEASE on this, I'm not here to debate which god or goddess (if any) should be followed, worshipped, or discussed. Just explaining what works for us as agnostics in a monotheistic world trying to learn about all the people who lived before us and contributed greatly to the way and why we do things.

 

 

Very interesting. I have often wondered what future civilizations might think of us if they dug through our landfills, etc....

[Lovedtodeath]

What grade levels do you need secular SOTW for?

 

I am sure lots of us could help you out.

 

I am not going through the cycle 3 times. I plan on stretching it out and doing only 2. Plus, we really want to do WinterPromise's Sea and Sky (not secular).

Edited April 1, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[Lovedtodeath]

But if we were buried in rubble and someone analyzed us by what they found - they might say we worshiped the dead because we also have a bob cat and squirrel skull. And my dd has bones from an owl pellet displayed in a beautiful arrangement inside a deep picture frame. We read a book from the library that said a culture worshiped their ancestors because they burried their bones under the homes. I used our personal example and explained why "worship" was the wrong word.

Very interesting!

 

 

 

 

 

I also believe that the god who Jews and Christians worship is real. But I don't celebrate or worship him. I analyze Cain killing Able as a result of the fact that this god was into blood sacrifice and found favor with Cain's dead cow (or whatever dead mammal it was) over Able's painstakingly/carefully/tenderly grown crops. I explained it all to her - how I see it. .

Actually, Able sacrificed the animal, Cain sacrificed the produce. I was always told that God looked on Able's sacrifice favorably because of his attitude, and that Cain obviously had wrong motive for his sacrifice, because if his motive was pure, then would he have killed his brother?

 

I also talk about Jesus (think the whole BC/AD thing).

Yes the BC/AD thing is not accurate even if you are not approaching things secularly. I was surprised that the Usborne Encyclopedia has almost a whole book devoted to evolution, and then proceeds to use BC/AD... I find it really odd. That's all.

 

I really enjoyed reading your take on things Karen.

[KAM]

I am considering doing a six year cycle like on Ambleside Online. I would use SOTW as my spine and supplement it with some of the more secular books AO uses to stretch it out. We are on SOTW II now and it is a bit "jumpy" for us, I'd like to spend longer on topics than we do.

[plimsoll]

I was surprised that the Usborne Encyclopedia has almost a whole book devoted to evolution, and then proceeds to use BC/AD... I find it really odd.

 

I believe that BC/AD have become common usage and, in my mind, don't necessarily imply a religious worldview. When I was growing up, BCE/CE were even less commonly used than the metric system. It's only in these "politically correct" times that people make a big deal out of it.

Edited April 1, 2009 by plimsoll

[Kfamily]

We've also enjoyed the sections and approach from Ambleside Online. We also will have spent 6 years on one history rotation. With one solid one almost behind us, I have no problem creating history outlines for our school year that are not perfectly chronological.

For example, we are starting a unit on the ancients rather than spending a whole year in order to keep things chronological but this will allow us to get to the books dds are really excited about by the fall. We will spend at least two years with these. So another thing to remember about chronological history is that you don't have to spend one year on each major historical time division (like the 4 year rotation). You can still be chronological but spend less time in some areas and more in others. This is essentially what we are doing right now. I'm okay with this because I know we already built a base. Dd may not remember all the details but she knows the general order of history.

 

 

HTH

[mo2]

This may be a dumb question, but how do you know which selections from Ambleside are secular?

[plimsoll]

We do not follow the four year history cycle. We just continuously study history at a level appropriate for my son. We study world history and US history concurrently. Each year we do one or two sequential survey books in both world and american history, and then we supplement with "living" books and videos.

 

For example, last year our survey books were the four SOTW books and Eggleston's First Book in American History. This year we read Famous Men of Greece, Famous Men of Rome, and Child's History of the World, and we are currently reading Rainbow Book of American History. We also read a lot of library books -- biographies, narratives, etc.

[Karen sn]

Very interesting!

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, Able sacrificed the animal, Cain sacrificed the produce. I was always told that God looked on Able's sacrifice favorably because of his attitude, and that Cain obviously had wrong motive for his sacrifice, because if his motive was pure, then would he have killed his brother?

 

Yes the BC/AD thing is not accurate even if you are not approaching things secularly. I was surprised that the Usborne Encyclopedia has almost a whole book devoted to evolution, and then proceeds to use BC/AD... I find it really odd. That's all.

 

I really enjoyed reading your take on things Karen.

 

Thank you. I always enjoy your posts as well. Even when it they are of a different viewpoint, I like the way you see things and say them.

 

So Cain offered the harvest and then was jealous and so he killed his brother?

 

Thanks for the correction.

It does slightly change my take on it but I still feel that the fact that this god was a blood sacrifice god inspired the blood shed between the two.

Maybe it did something to his mind that the blood sacrifice was more worthy of this god's approval. Maybe in his sick twisted way he was thinking, "I'll show you a blood sacrifice......"

 

I just have so many issues with the blood shed and violence required by this god. My study of the Ancients has us celebrating Ma'at, Bes, and Baster. The first 2 are mine, the last one my dd's.

 

Didn't the AD thing start 4 years later than the actual birth?

 

Now I'm off to call my best friend (Christian) to discuss Cain and Able.

My best friend and I are polar opposites on religion, politics, sex....but we discuss them regularly and enjoy our selves.

[Michelle T]

DS has absolutely no interest in spending a total of three years each on ancients and the middle ages, and neither do I. We've studied both of those eras a couple times, and are currently focusing on just U.S. history. I also have spent time studying current world cultures, and in the future plan on spending time studying economics, U.S. government, and Jewish history.

Michelle T

[Lovedtodeath]

oops! it's Abel LOL

 

4 years or 3... something like that.

[siloam]

Just wondering what other options there are. I'm having a hard time finding secular resources for history so thought I would start looking outside the classical education box.

 

We are on a 6 year cycle, for two reasons. First history is our least important subject and it does get skipped if needed. History takes up just a small portion of our hsing day. Second is because I enjoy depth rather than keep it as light as it would need to be to make it through in four years, so we go slow and steady.

 

In other respects I am very classical.

 

Heather

[chiguirre]

We're not following a 4 year cycle because I'd prefer to do 3 3year studies and then a 4 year hs (this is obviously tentative). We're using the Golden Book of World History, this is an OOP gem I got on ebay for $4 about 5 years ago. It was published in the 60s and I just love the tone of the commentary and the illustrations. I'm combining it with SL Cores 1 and 2 from 1999. They use the Usborne Time Traveller and Usborne Book of World History, both totally secular. I eliminated all the books that seemed too religious for my taste and made a loose chronological list of all the history books and history based read-alouds for history. I made a separate list of non-history based read-alouds and read those when the mood strikes us. I plan to use Winterpromise's American Story 1 and 2 in a similar way. I wouldn't recommend most of their programs though, because they've started including more and more creationist materials in their science cores and their upper levels use an unmodifiable text as their spine.

 

Because we school year round and I eliminate some materials, we should get through this cycle in 3 years. I plan to use SOTW 1 and 2 and SL 3 and 4 for our next go round. Then maybe Van Loon's history and History of US.

[Laura Corin]

I use SOTW, adding in Our Island Story, This Country of Ours, Usborne and various other resources (spreadsheets in the side bar of my blog). We discuss the religious assumptions in the books as we go along. Each boy will do one long history cycle before going off to school; Calvin will also have done a year of Chinese history, a project on Scottish history and a concentration on Classical Civilisation.

 

With regards to BC/AD - Usborne is a British firm and the lines between secular and Christian society are not nearly so marked here: the majority of people in the UK claim to be Christians, but a tiny minority go to church. Most Christians in the UK are not creationists; most atheists don't have a problem with using texts that mention Christianity in cultural terms. For most people it's just not the big deal it is in the US.

 

Best wishes

 

Laura

[Ravin]

I don't plan on doing a cycle, though I am going to use a timeline so that we have something to hang things on in a chronological order, and now and then we can step back and look at the big picture. Next year I'm using a book called How Children Lived as our spine, which we'll supplement with library books, a history encyclopedia, and a timeline. I think it will be something my DD will be able to relate to at her age. I have a degree in Anthropology and that, along with our religious views and involvement in the Society for Creative Anachronism, influences how I'll approach history with her.

[Colleen in SEVA]

Well, we've been stuck in the Ancients forever (I joke that we are studying the eras proportionately to how long they really lasted tee hee). We are not doing a 4 year cycle because there is just too much info to pack into 4 years, and we tend to get "stuck" places for a while (like Mummies).

 

This is our plan, Blue started with Step 2, Green & Yellow are on Step 1, and Red & Orange will start Step 1 when Green & Yellow move on to Step 2.

 

Step 1: Listen in on SOTW and do only the coloring pages, listening to the picture-book type additional books (Blue skipped this step -- the youngers are only doing it because we are doing SOTW for Blue).

 

Step 2: Go through SOTW slowly, reading old Kingfisher (the white one with readable paragraphs), visiting UILEH links, reading many "older" books on each topic, adding in additional map work and doing a timeline. Also adding in Hakim's Story of Science, United Streaming videos, or online research in areas that strike his interest.

 

Step 3: Go through Hakim's History of US, may or may not use the study guide, adding in lots of biographies. We will also focus on US Government during this time.

 

Step 4: Traditional high school sequence (??), location TBD. I would really love to still be homeschooling him at this point, but I will also have boys in grades 1-2-4-5 at the same time (we're considering many options, luckily I have a while to worry about it).

[Karen sn]

Actually, Able sacrificed the animal, Cain sacrificed the produce. I was always told that God looked on Able's sacrifice favorably because of his attitude, and that Cain obviously had wrong motive for his sacrifice, because if his motive was pure, then would he have killed his brother?

 

QUOTE]

 

What were the attitudes exactly, the motives behind the brothers' chioces?

 

I recently began to ponder the question of whether or not the choice of that god's offering - to say that he found favor in the blood sacrifice - influenced Able's murder.

 

Now that you have refreshed my memory on who gave what - I REALLY think it's possible that Cain killed his brother in honor to his god. or because he was just a fruit loop and let's face it - if you believe Adam and Eve were the first people/first and ONLY people....you have to believe then that weren't all that infuenced by murder until this blood sacrifice thing. It's not like they had TV and watched the news or physcho thriller killer horror movies of late.

 

So then I ponder this:

Cain and Able's god later commanded Abraham to snip a piece of foreskin and then tested him with the "burn your kid on a pyre" and he was willing. He was willing......

 

He was willing to take the life of his child IN THE MOST HORRIFIC WAY IMMAGINABLE. I don't personally think any person, place, thing, or idea that I am going to worship or celebrate is gonna ever ask me to make that kind of sacrifice or offering. I think personally that Abraham was insane.

 

Don't get me wrong, we have Jewish blood and I did study with a rabbi and his elders and brought my dd to temple.....I love Jewish tradition. I literally get tearry eyed when people sing the words of the Torah as they read it. What a beautiful sound.

 

I just have to remember that the people of that god - way back when - were founded by the 12 sons/tribes AND THE WOMYN FROM A MILLION OTHER BACKGROUNDS. Who took with them their traditions when they left home to marry into and organize one of the largest and greatest nation of people. They also had concubines who brought with them their traditions.

 

It is all fascinating and I love discussing it with people who remember the history of the Torah and the Bible.

 

It's funny.

We're all in it together.....history.

And the possibilities of the past our endless.

So many things in common and so many differences.

Cain killed Able, Set killed Osiris......

 

I love the study of history.

[Karen sn]

You can still be chronological but spend less time in some areas and more in others. This is essentially what we are doing right now. I'm okay with this because I know we already built a base. Dd may not remember all the details but she knows the general order of history.

 

 

HTH

 

I agree. Our approach has definitely allowed me to relax and really get into it.

[Karen sn]

We're not following a 4 year cycle because I'd prefer to do 3 3year studies and then a 4 year hs (this is obviously tentative). We're using the Golden Book of World History, this is an OOP gem I got on ebay for $4 about 5 years ago. It was published in the 60s and I just love the tone of the commentary and the illustrations. I'm combining it with SL Cores 1 and 2 from 1999. They use the Usborne Time Traveller and Usborne Book of World History, both totally secular. I eliminated all the books that seemed too religious for my taste and made a loose chronological list of all the history books and history based read-alouds for history. I made a separate list of non-history based read-alouds and read those when the mood strikes us. I plan to use Winterpromise's American Story 1 and 2 in a similar way. I wouldn't recommend most of their programs though, because they've started including more and more creationist materials in their science cores and their upper levels use an unmodifiable text as their spine.

 

Because we school year round and I eliminate some materials, we should get through this cycle in 3 years. I plan to use SOTW 1 and 2 and SL 3 and 4 for our next go round. Then maybe Van Loon's history and History of US.

 

What is SL?

I like the way you think in terms of 3 three year cycles - not for me for history.....but when I thought about children's pre-highschool education broken down into 3 parts, I realized that this fall is the start of the last 3 year part of my dd's primary education. All of highschool really depends on what we do in middle school. WOW.

[Hathersage]

For middle school and up, I found this site:

http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/default.htm

Edited April 3, 2009 by Hathersage

[dragons in the flower bed]

I'm having a hard time finding secular resources for history so thought I would start looking outside the classical education box.

 

Well... we haven't been doing a particularly good job of following a four year cycle. We'll be stretching Year 2 out to last two years.

 

How about Horrible Histories? Williamson Press' books (Days of Knights and Damsels, Classical Kids, Westward Ho, etc.)? Chicago Review Press (Isaac Newton for Kids, Franklin Delano Roosevelt for Kids, Marco Polo for Kids, etc.)? Oxford University Press' juvenile histories? Evan Moor History Pockets? These companies sell books to public school committees. Surely they'd go under the secular label. Macmillan/McGrawHill's sixth grade social studies textbook is a world history, too.

[dragons in the flower bed]

And I just found this site, http://www.historyatourhouse.com/curriculum/curriculum.html starting with 2 grade. (All I can do is provide the link, don't know anything about it)

 

It's Objectivist (a la Ayn Rand), which is not exactly religious but not exactly neutral, either.

[Lovedtodeath]

Just wondering what other options there are. I'm having a hard time finding secular resources for history so thought I would start looking outside the classical education box.

 

I was thinking you meant a program like WP or SL that is secular? Is that what you are looking for?

 

Karen: that's WinterPromise and Sonlight. I am guessing you knew that and weren't thinking about it.

[Donna T.]

NO THEOLOGICAL WAR PLEASE on this, I'm not here to debate which god or goddess (if any) should be followed, worshipped, or discussed. Just explaining what works for us as agnostics in a monotheistic world trying to learn about all the people who lived before us and contributed greatly to the way and why we do things.

 

With all due respect, why make a statement like this and then go on to continually ridicule the faith of many on this board? And, for your info, Jesus and His Father are One and you can't love one without the other. You have totally blasphemed a "god" that you don't care to respect in spite of believing in Him and yet you ask for no "theological war". The original poster had questions about the history cycle and how to adapt for her needs. Why you feel it was necessary to blaspheme the Lord God of Heaven (whom you reportedly believe in) is your issue and you really shouldn't be so rude if you aren't up to a "theological war".

[Lovedtodeath]

With all due respect, why make a statement like this and then go on to continually ridicule the faith of many on this board? And, for your info, Jesus and His Father are One and you can't love one without the other.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

 

 

And yes... Jesus said "Let them be one as you and I are one." in prayer.

[Lovedtodeath]

I don't plan on doing a cycle, though I am going to use a timeline so that we have something to hang things on in a chronological order, and now and then we can step back and look at the big picture. Next year I'm using a book called How Children Lived as our spine, which we'll supplement with library books, a history encyclopedia, and a timeline. I think it will be something my DD will be able to relate to at her age. I have a degree in Anthropology and that, along with our religious views and involvement in the Society for Creative Anachronism, influences how I'll approach history with her.

 

What a good idea! Usborne has a First Encyclopedia of History that would go nicely.

[mo2]

What a good idea! Usborne has a First Encyclopedia of History that would go nicely.

 

I like the Usborne Internet-Linked books. The links are kept updated and are fun.

[mo2]

I was thinking you meant a program like WP or SL that is secular? Is that what you are looking for?

 

Karen: that's WinterPromise and Sonlight. I am guessing you knew that and weren't thinking about it.

 

 

Yes, I would like a program like that that is secular, but I'm probably not going to find it, so any recommendations are welcome. I really want something narrative, not textbookish.

 

I think this year we will just read aloud A Little History of the World, then next year perhaps try the Galore Park Junior History series. After that, I'm pretty sure I want to use Hakim's A History of US for American history (probably taking 2 years for that).

[mo2]

With all due respect, why make a statement like this and then go on to continually ridicule the faith of many on this board? And, for your info, Jesus and His Father are One and you can't love one without the other. You have totally blasphemed a "god" that you don't care to respect in spite of believing in Him and yet you ask for no "theological war". The original poster had questions about the history cycle and how to adapt for her needs. Why you feel it was necessary to blaspheme the Lord God of Heaven (whom you reportedly believe in) is your issue and you really shouldn't be so rude if you aren't up to a "theological war".

 

 

Sigh. As the OP, I took no offense to her posts. I found them interesting, and I am always up for learning about others' views. To be honest, I think it is cool that she is willing to discuss her beliefs even though she knows she is in the minority here. A discussion doesn't have to become a "war."

 

FWIW, I take no offense to your views either!

[Lovedtodeath]

Yes, I would like a program like that that is secular, but I'm probably not going to find it, so any recommendations are welcome. I really want something narrative, not textbookish.

 

I think this year we will just read aloud A Little History of the World, then next year perhaps try the Galore Park Junior History series. After that, I'm pretty sure I want to use Hakim's A History of US for American history (probably taking 2 years for that).

 

What age group/grade level are you looking for? IS SOTW offensive to you, or can it be included as the spine?

[MamaSheep]

Is History Odyssy from Pandia Press secular? I haven't looked at it much.

[mo2]

What age group/grade level are you looking for? IS SOTW offensive to you, or can it be included as the spine?

 

 

I don't really care for SOTW, and my daughter found it incredibly boring. I even bought the AG to volume 1, and then found that my library had very few of the recommended extra reading books. I couldn't find good substitutes at the library, either. (Small town.) A few of the probjects were fun, most of them my daughter didn't even care to do. She doesn't like to color, so the coloring pages were pretty much useless as well. Our distates for SOTW kind of ruined my original plan of using History Odyssey.

 

My daughter recently turned 7, and we'll be starting 2nd grade in July.

 

Thanks for your help!

[Wildiris]

We do follow a four year history cycle. I believe in the chronology of history. We have used Story of the World(SOTW) vol.1-4 for grades 1-5. Somehow we got slowed down and added a year to our four year cycle. In the sixth grade we are using K12's The Human Odyssey Prehistory Through the Middle Ages. This is a fantastic narrative of history. I appreciate its coverage of ideas which incorporates religion without judgment. Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam are covered and placed historically. Since there is no history guide for this text, I read chapters aloud and we discuss the reading. I like to read and discuss. I then dream up a project that requires my DD to go back to the text and synthesis what I read, and this of course requires her to reread the chapter. So far the projects have enhanced her recall of information and added to her enjoyment of history. We find images from google and she writes or she constructs a time line using timeline figures and writes. Most of what she writes are informative essays. As for SOTW, we did not find it overly religious for a secular user, although I am not sure it is indepth enough to use for a middle school student.

[Lovedtodeath]

A Little History of the World is used in http://bringinguplearners.com/mosaic/ It has level one complete and an outline of level 2. With more info on level 2 in the files here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BringingUpLearnersMosaic/

 

There is a Public Domain The Story of the World Series

Edited April 2, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[Medieval Mom]

I ordered History Odyssey for this coming year (Ancients, Level One), and it looks quite secular. The e-book is fantastic! You can click on any of the book links in the curriculum, which will take you to the book on Amazon-- terrific for doing library searches by ISBN. We haven't used it yet, but, so far, it looks terrific!:)

Edited April 2, 2009 by Medieval Mom

[Lovedtodeath]

Karen was out of line. She went on to defame the god and religion of others in yet another post, #22 not just one, and not just further discussing the issues that were already on the table. I usually enjoy discussing things with Karen, and I was okay with the first post, but I think she made a mistake when she chose to continue with it. I have not seen people sharing unsavory views of her religion or gods and getting away with it. I wish we could stick with the OP, rather than defending her mistake. I would appreciate not attacking Karen either; I don't think she meant any harm.

 

This thread has some good secular history info and I don't want that ruined for everyone.

Edited April 2, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[dragons in the flower bed]

Karen was out of line. She went on to defame the god and religion of others in yet another post, not just one. I have not seen people sharing unsavory views of her religion or gods and getting away with it. I wish we could stick with the OP.

 

 

 

Was it the stuff she said about the god of the Bible being a "blood sacrifice requesting god" that was the offensive part?

 

If so, I interpreted that as Karen explaining to Mo how she teaches those parts of non-secular history books. It seems like that should be allowed, even if it is upsetting to people who disagree with that assessment of that deity. I'd like to see this board explicitly allow conservatives to describe in detail how they explain to their children the harm that liberal social policy does, and liberals to be able to explain in detail how they teach their children the harm that conservative social policy does. Catholics and Protestants both need to be able to freely describe their teaching of the Reformation period. Southerners and Yankees, the Civil War. Pagans and Christians, the influence of the character of a deity on history. Sure, it's going to sting a bit to overhear these discussions, different conversations bugging each of us, but I'll still defend the benefit of educators' discourse.

 

If not, I'm lost here.

[mo2]

If so, I interpreted that as Karen explaining to Mo how she teaches those parts of non-secular history books. It seems like that should be allowed, even if it is upsetting to people who disagree with that assessment of that deity. I'd like to see this board explicitly allow conservatives to describe in detail how they explain to their children the harm that liberal social policy does, and liberals to be able to explain in detail how they teach their children the harm that conservative social policy does. Catholics and Protestants both need to be able to freely describe their teaching of the Reformation period. Southerners and Yankees, the Civil War. Pagans and Christians, the influence of the character of a deity on history. Sure, it's going to sting a bit to overhear these discussions, different conversations bugging each of us, but I'll still defend the benefit of educators' discourse.

 

 

Nicely put. I love hearing different viewpoints!

[Lovedtodeath]

Sure, it's going to sting a bit to overhear these discussions, different conversations bugging each of us, but I'll still defend the benefit of educators' discourse.

 

This was well put. "Overhear" is the key word here. It seems that members of this board cannot simply "overhear", but have to join in, and usually not in a good way. And usually threads in which members of the same religion are discussing things among themselves, there are others on the thread that decide that they were being addressed, when they weren't, and sometimes they were in a backhanded fashion. I am afraid it gets pretty complicated. But I really wish it could work that way, Rose. The way you worded it sounds great.

[phathui5]

Have you looked at the Story of the World activity guides? There are lots of resources listed.

[mo2]

A Little History of the World is used in http://bringinguplearners.com/mosaic/ It has level one complete and an outline of level 2. With more info on level 2 in the files here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BringingUpLearnersMosaic/

 

There is a Public Domain The Story of the World Series

 

 

I have glanced at the Mosaic history in the past, but I just went and took a much closer look. This might actually be doable. I would probably omit a few things (like the History Pockets - just not our style), but I like that it uses LHOW and the Usborne Encyclopedia, both of which I already have.

 

Thanks for bringing this to my attention again.

[Karen sn]

With all due respect, why make a statement like this and then go on to continually ridicule the faith of many on this board? And, for your info, Jesus and His Father are One and you can't love one without the other. You have totally blasphemed a "god" that you don't care to respect in spite of believing in Him and yet you ask for no "theological war". The original poster had questions about the history cycle and how to adapt for her needs. Why you feel it was necessary to blaspheme the Lord God of Heaven (whom you reportedly believe in) is your issue and you really shouldn't be so rude if you aren't up to a "theological war".

 

I did not ridicule anyone's faith.

I expressed my own views based on the religion I grew up in.

Since I went to a Southern Baptist church for school Monday through Friday and Wednesday night for church and Sunday morning and Sunday night....I think I can saw how I feel about the religion I was raised in.

 

Since I studied under the rabbi and the elders for several years (with my dd in tow) I think I discuss what I learned there.

 

Thank you so much for clarifying who I can and can not love.

As the poster was NOT asking for a CHRISTIAN history book - I feel that everything I said was appropriate.

 

I find that anytime a Christian is offended by a discussion of the FACTS of history it is because they have not come to terms with the violence of their religion or their god. The truth hurts! I have studied your Bible more than I care to admit! I choose to NOT follow that one god. Why does this bother you? I am not offended that you do not pray to Zeus or Ganesh?

 

And if you want to read the story on them and then critique it under a thread where someone says "I am tired of history revolving around Zeus and Ganesh....what can I use?" Then feel free to say whatever you want.

 

She asked for a secular book.

A conversation ensued.

[Lynda in Florida]

Karen,

I try never to get involved with these type of disputes, but I feel that your lack of respect for believers in GOD is shameful. The original question did not require the type of answer you offered. Please refrain from speaking in a disrespectful way about the GOD that many of us love so deeply. We will show you the same respect.

[Karen sn]

Karen,

I try never to get involved with these type of disputes, but I feel that your lack of respect for believers in GOD is shameful. The original question did not require the type of answer you offered. Please refrain from speaking in a disrespectful way about the GOD that many of us love so deeply. We will show you the same respect.

 

What exactly was sooooo awful?

My best friend is an educated Christian capable of discussing this. We have many times. I never said anything rude to anyone who chooses to follow that god. I question the motives of that god - all of this blood sacrifice. Look where it started and where it led.

 

Remember that this god went into war and told his people to kill every man, woman, and child. That means that the men were able to slaughter pregnant women, babies, and old men. It had to be pretty violent - it's not like they all just took a pill and went to sleep.

 

What is it about this god that makes it so hard for his modern day followers to face that violence?

 

I don't care WHO you pray to. I don't care that my very best friend in the world prays to one of the most violent gods in the history of mankind. I choose to celebrate othe gods and goddessed who have a less bloody past. WHO CARES?

 

I said nothing that wasn't already in your Bible or the Torah.

All I did was comment on it.

[sweetbaby]

I was coming to read about some History info but stumbled upon "Posts Gone Wild".

 

This forum is comprised of people of various backgrounds and faiths so we must respect each other and agree to disagree. This is what I have personally loved about this forum. It is literally a melting pot. :)

 

Karen, I understand what you were trying to say but I think it appeared "out of context" here from the original post. I know you honestly didn't mean any harm from your view but some were offended. I, personally, feel that this discussion should be closed or back on track to the nature of the original post. Just my opinion, of course.

 

Let's love and move on. :)